That Small City Feeling
by thawrecka
Summary: Trailerpark, highschool AU. Naruto returns home.
1. Chapter 1

That Small City Feeling (trailer trash highschool AU)

* * *

Naruto had so many things he'd wanted to say to Gaara but then he got distracted by Sasuke's disappearance. He'd meant to write but then Jiraiya took him away for one year and he forgot nearly everything. 

One year. One year of sitting in a stinking hot car seat watching the trees go by. One year of eating at roadhouses, thick greasy burgers that made him feel sick. One year of cheap motels with orange curtains in the middle of nowhere.

"I'll teach you about the world," Jiriaya said, and he did. A world of loneliness. A world of cheap women with bad dye jobs and cakey lipstick. A work of walking up at half-light not knowing where you are.

Nights spent wacking off in public restrooms trying not to think of (Neji, Gaara, Sakura) the people he missed. Trying not to think of (Sasuke) anything at all.

And then, year over, tired and alone, lying in his own bed and listening to the ambulances go past. Like nothing had changed at all.

* * *

Naruto bumps into Sakura outside the school, literally. She looks amazing. 

"Naruto!" she exclaims. "How was your trip?"

"Eh, it was all right," he says. "What about you? What have you been doing?"

"Mostly studying. I've decided I want to be a doctor."

"Wow, really! That is so cool."

"So, really," she says, bumping his hand with hers. "What did you do for a year? What did you learn?"

"I learnt not to eat 3 beef and bacon burgers in a row," he replies.

"Oh, Naruto," she says, smiling indulgently.

"Nothing like learning from experience," he says.

"If you say so," she says. Smiles. "It's good to see you."

"You sure have changed, Sakura," he says as they make their way to the principal's office.

"Oh, Naruto, you haven't changed at all."

* * *

Neji is on the student council now, which doesn't surprise Naruto at all. What does surprise him is how different Neji looks when he sees him again. He looks like he's found god or really good drugs or something. 

"Hey, Neji!" Naruto yells, smiling stubbornly.

Neji turns slowly.

"Hello Naruto," he says and smiles like the world is at peace. "I trust you have been well."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Naruto says.

Neji tilts his head and looks vaguely concerned. It's disconcerting.

"Ah, I heard you skipped ahead a year," Naruto says.

"Yes, the principal felt it would be beneficial to my development," Neji says and nods like those buddhist monks on the news.

"Man, you're so far ahead I'll never catch up."

* * *

Classes with younger faces, silently passing people he once knew in the halls. Hard work he knows his friends have already done. 

He runs into Lee on the way home. Lee has gotten tall, finally put on some much needed weight.

"Naruto, it's nice to see you," he says, smiling as brightly as ever.

"Dude, you got tall," Naruto says, speeding up to keep up with Lee's jogging.

"So I did," Lee says, grinning. "You're less short than you used to be too."

Naruto smirks.

"I'm not in physio any more," Lee continues.

"I could tell," Naruto says. "I'm sure you could outrun me."

"That's the plan."

* * *

Naruto remembers playing a childish game, running after Sasuke. Running. It seemed like Sasuke was always running. No matter how close he and Sakura got Sasuke would always slip away.

* * *

He bumps into Sakura at the supermarket. She's still in her school uniform, glasses holding back her pink hair. 

"Hey, Naruto!"

"What you doing?" He asks, squinting against the bright lights of the frozen section.

"Just buying hair dye," she says, waving the pack around. "I see you're still eating nothing but ramen. You'll rot your insides."

"Eh, it's cheap," he says. Shrugs. "So what's the deal with Neji? All the serenity?"

"Oh, I think he came out of the closet," she replies.

"Neji's gay!" he exclaims with a shocked look.

"There's nothing wrong with that," she scolds.

"I know that," he says. "I'm just shocked at the idea of him being turned on by anything."

"Don't be such a brat."

Naruto laughs. "So what's up with everyone else?"

"Chouji's working at that Chinese place he likes, Shikamaru's decided he wants to work for the government, um, ooh, did you hear that Gaara's coming back for a visit?" she asks.

"Really! When?" Naruto asks. It hits him suddenly, like a kick to the chest, that he misses Gaara.

"He's driving up right now, apparently."

"Gaara's driving all that way? Is he nuts?" Naruto asks.

"Naruto, all your male friends are nuts," Sakura says. "And, uh, Sasuke hasn't…"

The smile drips off her face.

"It's alright," Naruto says, trying to smile. "He'll come back. We'll catch him."

* * *

In the afternoon he gets called into the principal's office. Her face is weary. 

"Gaara had a car accident last night on the way here," she says. "He was asking for you."

"What!"

"I'll let you have the rest of the day off to go see him."

"Can I get Sakura to give me a ride?"

"Sure. Go," she says.

He dashes out of the room.

Sakura is initially annoyed at being pulled out of Advanced Calculus until she sees Naruto's face.

"What happened?" she asks, quickly becoming concerned.

"Gaara's been in an accident. Can you drive me to the hospital?" he asks.

"Of course," she replies.

They are silent most of the way there.

"Why didn't you ever call?" Sakura asks.

"I wanted to. I even tried a couple of times. I picked up the phone and couldn't remember what to say," he answers.

"Like 'Hello' is so hard to forget," she snaps.

"I didn't want to bother anyone," he says.

"That's a stupid excuse," she snaps.

"I'm sorry," he says.

Sakura turns the car into the hospital parking lot. "Are you going to need a lift home?"

"I'll call Iruka about it," he says and scrambles out of the car. He runs into the hospital and disappears from her sight.

* * *

When Gaara wakes up after the operation Naruto is holding his hand. Naruto's spiky hair is tickling his arm. "Hey," Gaara says tiredly. 

At that Naruto lifts his head from the hospital bed and begins to smile that brilliant smile of his. At the sleepy affection in Naruto's eyes the room seems warmer and brighter.

"You're awake!" Naruto exclaims. Naruto is still holding Gaara's hand but more gently now, without the desperation of a few moments ago.

Gaara smiles at Naruto with tired eyes. He has the feeling everything will be all right.


	2. Brick Buildings

Main

* * *

Title: Brick Buildings  
Author: Tha Wrecka 

In parking lots. Random continuation of Naruto highschool trailer trash AU.

* * *

Hinata buries her head in Kurenai's neck and cries. She feels safe to do this here.

"It's alright, sweetie," Kurenai says as she soothingly pats Hinata's back.

Hinata thinks, as Kurenai rubs comforting circles on her back, that this is what having a sister should really be like.

* * *

Shino deals at lunchtimes behind the gym. He doesn't advertise it but everyone knows he's the guy to go to for the good stuff. 

Some skinny kid is nervously trying to buy drugs.

"Are you sure you really want this?" Shino asks, holding out the bag.

"Yes!" the kid exclaims and gives him the money.

After they make the exchange the kid is looking curiously at the little white pills. "So what is this stuff really like?"

"It's like millions of tiny bugs crawling through your body."

* * *

It's a hot Spring day and Hinata is wearing a heavy coat. Kiba wishes she wouldn't. He's seen her without it and her breasts are luscious – big and round. He's not stupid – he knows why she wears it. He's seen the bruises poking out from under a sleeve. He's noticed the way she curls in on herself around her family. 

Kiba passes her the joint and hopes this takes her mind off things.

They've skipped last period and are sitting in the alley behind McDonalds and waiting for Shino.

"I hear Naruto's coming back soon," he says to Hinata.

"Oh," she says quietly, eyes downcast. Kiba hates how shy she gets sometimes. "Do you think he'll remember me?"

"It's not like you're easy to forget, Hinata," he replies.

"As long as he remembers the promise he made us," she mumbles.

Kiba doesn't know what that's about and doesn't get to ask, either. Shino finally shows up.

* * *

Kurenai had been the one to teach him how to smoke. Kurenai taught him any number of things, most of them more legal and healthy than that. 

She took care of him and his friends but not in that annoying way older teachers had. She generally liked them and treated them like family. The way she cared for Hinata had earned his eternal loyalty.

Kurenai had legs that went on forever and a tendency to wear really short skirts. She was Kiba's favourite teacher. Kiba tries to pay attention in her art class, even though he sort of sucks at the subject.

He turns to Shino and says, "You got the stuff?"

Shino silently passes him a bag under the table. Kurenai pretends not to notice.

* * *

Shino bumps into Hinata before last period. Her eyes are puffy and her hair is a mess but she is smiling softly. 

"Hello Shino," she says softly, wiping her eyes.

"Are you all right?" he asks.

"I'm fine," she says. "Kiba and I are going to our place near the supermarket. Are you going to come too?"

"Wait for me there. I've got something to do first."

* * *

Shino always turned up to Biology on the days they had dissections. He liked seeing underneath things, finding out what things were like on the inside. 

He uses the scalpel to carefully cut the lens from the eye without breaking or spilling anything. With the tweezers he pulls it away from the fleshy parts of the eye and brings it up to his own eyes, peering at it curiously from behind his glasses.

Next to him his lab partner is looking sort of sick.

* * *

"Did you remember your medication?" Shino asks. 

"Yes," Hinata replies.

"Are you sure? The last time you forgot your medication you fainted in front of the school," Kiba says.

"I remembered," Hinata insists.

"Good," Shino breathes out, in a cloud of smoke.


End file.
